Electric

Bollinger Shows All-Electric Sport Utility Truck Chassis

April 13, 2017
• by Staff

The chassis by itself weighs just 295 pounds while not sacrificing structural or torsional rigidity. The base ride height provides for 15.5 inches of ground clearance but will be adjustable using a self-leveling, four-wheel independent, hydro-pneumatic suspension within the 10 inches of wheel travel. (Photo courtesy of Bollinger Motors)

Bollinger Motors revealed the first images of the actual chassis structure which will underpin its upcoming all-electric on and off-road sport/utility truck. The vehicle will make its global debut at a media event this summer in Bollinger Motors' home state of New York.

The all-aluminum chassis with a high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steel rollover structure is designed for optimal off-road vehicle proportions. It sports a wheelbase of 105 inches, front and rear track of 68 inches, an approach angle of 56 degrees, departure angle of 53 degrees, and break over angle of 33 degrees.

The chassis by itself weighs just 295 pounds while not sacrificing structural or torsional rigidity. The base ride height provides for 15.5 inches of ground clearance but will be adjustable using a self-leveling, four-wheel independent, hydro-pneumatic suspension within the 10 inches of wheel travel.

The A-arms are made of high-strength steel and attach to the frame via durable polyurethane bushings, while disconnectable anti-roll bars allow traction enhancing, full suspension articulation during off-road maneuvers.

We utilized the area between the chassis rails, below the driver and passenger, to house our battery storage system and located the high voltage electronics in the center of the chassis below the floor level. This gives the vehicle a very low center of gravity which makes for unmatched on and off-road stability," said Karl Hacken, Bollinger Motors' Chief Engineer. "We also designed the hydraulically-assisted steering rack in-house to allow us to fine tune the driving dynamics to our exact specifications."

The chassis rides on Mud Terrain LT285/70/R17 tires with high offset aluminum wheels for go-anywhere traction and performance. The wheels are attached with eight lugs to knuckle housed, geared axle hubs, which allow the entire suspension system to be raised on the chassis giving it the ability to clear a multitude of off-road obstructions. The regenerative braking system consists of 11.75 inch vented inboard discs and four-piston calipers.

"This chassis will be the foundation for our advanced all-wheel-drive system and our all-electric powertrain which will combine to produce best in class horsepower, torque and ground clearance," said Robert Bollinger, the company's founder and CEO. "We are pushing the truck category forward and have improved on what is currently available in the marketplace today to make a world-class vehicle that can go anywhere and do anything."

Trucking shouldn't waste time on pipe-dreams like platooning and autonomous trucks and instead focus on improving logistics and making the trade appeal to young people, said Hendrickson's Jeff Sass while speaking at the Heavy Duty Trucking Exchange in Phoenix.